Hartford Wolf Pack 11th year goalie Tom McCollum(30) was reassigned from affiliate Maine Mariners of the ECHL, his first visit to the league since 2016/2017, to Florida Everblades, where he really caught fire in 3 games posting a 1.65 GAA and .938 SV%.
Recently recalled to the AHL, he continued to hold down the fort, oddly going 0-1-1 with a 1.17 GAA and .950 SV%
The fairly large-sized net minder has been under big league contracts since being a 1st round pick in 2008 but has only played 3 NHL games.
He had one terrible outing in 2010/2011 but got another shot from Detroit Red Wings, both in relief a few years later and posted a .091 GAA and .960 SV%, while getting a 1st win but was dispatched to the minors for his final term in Michigan.
It seems like the 30-year old will next look elsewhere, overseas, for a new contract.
Tom McCollum(30) Grand Rapids Griffins
Detroit Red Wings‘ 1st round pick in the 2008 draft (#30 overall) goaltender Tom McCollum(30) signs a one-year AHL deal to continue with Grand Rapids Griffins, the team he won the Calder Cup Championship with last season.
Heading into his 5th season, after much bandying about, he was ultimately given a qualified offer as a restricted free agent by the parent club for the upcoming campaign, but is staying put in the minors hoping to regain the form he had in junior hockey with Guelph Storm to become such a high selection.
He showed promise last season posting his first winning record at 18-11 in 31 starts on what obviously was a great team but the suits had to be looking at his overall performance to want to keep him around for another shot.
The big 6’3″ 219 lbs. net minder has appeared in 113 regular season games with the Griffins, 42 with ECHL affiliate Toledo Walleye but only one disastrous NHL contest, despite being recalled on a half a dozen or more occasions to serve as back-up.
At this point the still very young 23-year old goalie may need to catch the attention of another club to grab another big league contract.
Even though he had a winning record and better numbers than any of his previous years pro, he’s fallen low on the Red Wings‘ depth chart and will need to prove himself big.